Hungary: Exploring Hungarian Culture

Exploring Hungarian Culture

Hungary is a proud country where Eastern Europe meets the West. Its stunning capital of Budapest, once known as the “Paris of the East,” the mighty Danube River, and flat countryside with rolling hills in the distance, paint a unique picture of this country’s beautiful landscape. In the Hungarian countryside, it’s commonplace to catch a glimpse of some Hungarian culture festivals, which usually revolve around food.

Many inventions like the Rubik’s cube, pen, and refrigerator were designed by Hungarians, which speaks to the creativity and unique logic of Magyar. In fact, most Nobel Prize winners per capita come from Hungary!

Study abroad in Hungary Host a Hungarian student in the U.S.

Family Dynamic

Hungarian families tend to be traditional, but everyone shares in the housework and spends time together on weekends. Hungarian people like to meet and welcome people from abroad and treat them as guests. Most Hungarian families consist of two parents and one or two children. Urban families are typically smaller than rural families, who may have three or four children. In Hungarian culture, families follow a strict daily schedule. After school or work, people play sports or other free time activities and try to spend as much time with their families as they can. During the week, families usually have dinner together. Parents are closely involved in their children’s lives.

Teenage Life in Hungary

Holidays

In Hungary, “name days” are celebrated. A day of the year is attributed to a name, and flowers and sweets are given as gifts. On the Eve of Saint Nicholas, on the 6th December kids are supposed to clean and polish their boots or shoes and put them in the window-ledge so the MIKULÁS (Santa Claus) can leave some presents, such as nuts, sweets, and chocolate in them.

Christmas is a family event in Hungary. Family members don’t go out to celebrate with friends, but close family has a peaceful celebration at home on the 24th December and visit almost all of their family members between December 25-26th. Hungarian people usually spend New Year’s Eve with friends. They go to a house-party or organize one themselves.

Official Language

Magyar, also known as Hungarian, is the official language of Hungary, and it’s related to Finnish and Estonian. English and German are widely spoken foreign languages, though there are also several recognized minority languages in Hungary.

Communication Styles

Hungarians like jokes and have a good sense of humor. They infuse passion and storytelling into their conversations, often while raising their voice. Generally, they are direct communicators who freely express their innermost thoughts and feelings in a blunt manner. Making eye contact with others is considered polite and a sign of sincerity in Hungarian culture. Refusing to hold eye contact with another person may be interpreted as a sign of disingenuousness. Showing affection in public is accepted and personal space is relatively small. Good friends, especially younger people, will put their arms around each other’s shoulders when they walk together.

The Hungarian Diet

One of the most popular and well-known Hungarian dishes is goulash, a stew made with meat, potatoes, and paprika. Dishes are typically served with potatoes or noodles and there are lots of delicious breads and pastries to try! Typical Hungarian dishes tend to be hearty, but culinary habits are changing, so the food is lighter than in the past but without losing its great flavors. Paprika and other spices and sauces are used in many dishes.

Breakfast is usually a quick meal except on weekends when it can be richer. Hungarians tend to start their day with cornflakes or muesli, bread with jam, or ham and vegetables, or eggs. Lunch is a warm meal consisting of two courses: a main course (meat with rice or potatoes and some salad) and soup or dessert. Dinner tends to be a cold meal or some salad and pasta with ground poppy seeds.